The Marquis of Angleseapresented a Petition from the Parishes of Kilcoman and Robin, Ireland, praying an alteration of the method of distributing: the funds placed by Parliament at the disposal of the Kildare-street Society in Dublin. The noble Marquis supported the prayer of the petition, and observed, that unless Government interfered, and adopted some of the suggestions which had been made to them relative to the future management of the funds of the Society, and the system of education, the object of those who wished to give education to the Irish people, would be completely frustrated. The propriety of the management of the funds of the Society had been much questioned before he left the Government of Ireland; and by a compromise between the contending parties it was agreed, that 25,000l. should be placed at the disposal of the Lord-lieutenant, to be by him dealt with as he thought best for the accomplishment of the intentions of Parliament. On learning the nature of the trust reposed in him, he proceeded to make inquiries respecting the state of the schools; but on referring a short time afterwards to the accounts of the expenditure of the Society, he found, to his great surprise, that of the 25,000l. placed at his disposal, 15,000l. had been already expended by the Directors of the Society in advance, and that the remaining 10,000l. were also devoted by them to objects in which the Lord-lieutenant had not been consulted. Under these circumstances, and looking to the dissensions which prevailed between the two religions with respect to the system of education, he thought that Parliament should pause before it gave any more money for the same purpose; and that, at all events, no further grant should be made without the most minute inquiry.
The Marquis of Clanricardesaid, that he also had petitions to present on the same subject, and he hoped, before any money was wasted, that the matter would be thoroughly investigated. He had great hopes that abuses would speedily be 422 checked in Ireland by the hon. and gallant Secretary, whose appointment to the office of Chief Secretary was to him a subject of congratulation.
The Marquis of Lansdownsaid, it was the opinion of almost all those who had given their attention to subjects of this nature, that no good could be produced by the grants, unless Government took the whole management and application of the funds into its own hands. If their Lordships wished to understand the full extent of the abuses of the present system, and the best method of remedying them, they could obtain much valuable information, and would receive some excellent suggestions, from the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons, which sat towards the end of the last Session to inquire into the state of the poor in Ireland.
Lord Carberydefended the conduct of the Kildare-street Society, and denied that the expenditure alluded to by the noble Marquis (Anglesea) was either contrary to the powers of the Society, or prejudicial to the objects which it was called on to accomplish.
The Marquis of Downshirealso defended the Society. He had held the situation of President, and he could say with great confidence, that the intentions of its members were always pure, and that they had devoted their funds according to the best of their judgment, to promote education among the poorer classes of all religious persuasions.
The Marquis of Angleseahad not intended to impute anything like fraud to those who disposed of the grant to the Society. All he wished for was inquiry; because he was satisfied, that if the Society pursued the present system, and compelled the Catholic children to read the Bible, the objects of the Legislature would be continually defeated, and the money thrown away.
The Earl of Darnleywas much in favour of religious instruction for the poor, but he had some doubts whether the grants to the Kildare-street Society really promoted that object. He was perfectly convinced of the truth of the noble Marquis's statement, but he thought the whole subject required investigation.